Care and Feeding | Slate's parenting show

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On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak help a listener whose son is putting up a fight about preschool. This four-year-old has never loved school, and now he has a new baby sibling to love... so he really doesn’t want to leave home. And it’s getting to the point of peeing on things out of spite. So: what now?

And after that discussion, we’ll of course circle up for a round of triumphs and fails.

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.

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Podcast produced by Maura Currie.

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On this episode from our friends at Slate's Decoder Ring podcast: When Slate’s Evan Chung was a kid, he was obsessed with a mysterious advertisement that ran for decades in the scouting magazine Boys’ Life. Under the enticing headline “You Can Float on Air,” the ad assured Evan—and generations of scouts—that a personal hovercraft could be theirs for just a few bucks.

In this episode, the adult version of Evan journeys halfway across the country to wield power tools, summon his latent scouting skills, and conscript his father into a quest three decades in the making.

Will Evan float on air? Scout’s honor: You’ll just have to listen.

This episode was written by Evan Chung, who produced this episode with Decoder Ring’s Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. It was edited by Willa Paskin and Joel Meyer. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

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If you’re a fan of the show and want to support us, consider signing up for Slate Plus. As a member, you’ll get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads—and your support is crucial to our work. Go to slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

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On this episode: Zak, Jamilah and Elizabeth help a listener who’s having trouble securing a babysitter for their toddler... and starting to resign themselves to just not going anywhere. We’ll talk about what might be causing the end of the teenage babysitter, and some childcare solutions that might be worth trying instead.

We’ll also share a round of recommendations — and then, for Slate Plus, we’ll share some memories of what it was like to be babysat, all those years ago.

Elizabeth recommends: Solar Eclipse Glasses; NASA Solar Eclipse Resources

Zak recommends: Ninja Classes

Jamilah recommends: Quiet On Set on MAX

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Maura Currie.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Zak sits down with Jessica Calarco, whose new book – Holding It Together – is out tomorrow. The two walk through the ways in which women, and especially mothers, replace a social safety net in the United States... and, more importantly, why it doesn’t have to be this way.

We also dole out a round of recommendations – and for our Slate Plus listeners, we continue Zak and Jessica’s conversation and ask Jamilah and Elizabeth what they think their unpaid labor is holding together.

Elizabeth recommends: Brain Inflamed

Zak recommends: Play your favorite music videos for your kids. Like this.

Jamilah recommends: If (in theaters now!)

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Maura Currie.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Lucy, Elizabeth and Zak help a listener who’s grappling with whether it’s worth trying to keep up a friendship with a family that is just not reliable. It’s only started recently, but they show up to events and hangouts hours late... if at all... with very scant communication. The flakiness disappoints our listener’s kid, but is this worth cutting out friends?

We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including a quick update about the Newcamp family’s trip to Africa.

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Maura Currie.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices